William Blake Critical Analysis Paper In 1794 William Blake issued a two- volume collection of poems in a book titled Songs of Innocence and of Experience. This book included hand painted illustrations along with the poems mounted on copper plates. These poems have been called “the most remarkable collection of poems written in English (C. M. Bowra 25) .” The intent of these works was to show the two contrary states of the human soul. Though this goal …showed first 75 words of 628 total…

…showed last 75 words of 628 total…eventually devoured it leaving the infant struggling and striving. In Infant Joy and Infant Sorrow Blake showed how innocence and experience form the two contrary states of the human soul. In Infant Joy the infant knew happiness from birth, being only two days old and saying “I happy am, Joy is my name.” While in Infant Sorrow the infant had and immediate acknowledgment with helplessness and boundaries. Blake showed how experience overtook and destroyed innocence.